CC 07-02-2024 Item No. 7 Housing Element _PresentationPresentation
CC 7-02-2024
Item No. 7
Housing Element
Zoning
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City Council
July 2, 2024
6th Cycle Housing Element
Update Rezoning
Agenda
Housing Element
Overview/Sites Inventory
Rezoning Scope: New
Zoning Districts/Text
Changes for consistency
Related Amendments:
HOC, BMR Manual
Staff Recommendation
PC Review and
Recommendation
Public Comments
Next steps
Housing Element adopted
May 14, 2024
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Housing Element Overview
State-mandated General
Plan Element
Required to be updated
every 8 years
Consists of: Needs
Assessment, Fair Housing
Assessment, Constraints
Analysis, Sites Inventory,
Policies & Programs
6th Cycle Housing Element
covers 2023-2013
Oversight Agency: CA Dept
of Housing and Community
Development (HCD)
City received conditional
compliance letter from HCD
April 10, 2024
Housing Element adopted
by Council May 14
Rezoning to PC June 11
Adopted
Housing
Element
Priority
Housing
Sites
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RezoningRezoning
Scope of Rezoning
ONLY related to Housing Element conformance
Text amendments to:
Establish new zoning districts: R-4 and TH
Modify existing regulations
Edits for consistency with State law
Edits for internal consistency
Map amendments limited to Priority Housing Sites
R-1 properties subject to Missing Middle Strategy
HE-1.3.6 not being rezoned
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New Standards – R-4 zones
Accommodates
densities 50 du/acre and
higher
Aligns High/Very High
(50-65 du/acre) and
Very High (65-80
du/acre) General Plan
designations
40 of 58 Priority Housing
sites are R-4
Front and Rear Setback Standards
R-4 zones
Arterial
Sidewalk and
landscape strip
35 feet to face of curb
Level 3
Level 2
Level 1
Level 5
Level 4
18 feet
to PL
Front Property line
20 feet
to PL
Rear Property line
30 feet
to PL
45 feet
to PL
70
f
e
e
t
Face of curb
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Side Setback Standards
R-4 zones
Level 3
Level 2
Level 1
Existing 3
story Bldg.
Side Property line
Level 2
Level 1
Level 5
Level 4
Level 3
Side Property line
10 feet
to PL
20 feet
to PL
70
f
e
e
t
10 feet
to PL
20 feet
to PLExisting 2
story Bldg.
New Standards –TH combining zone
Only for use with existing residential base zoning
16 of 58 Priority Housing Sites with R-3 base zoning
Goal: to allow lower-scale buildings near single-family
neighborhoods and encourage different housing types
Height: 30 feet max (General Plan standard)
Front setback must meet underlying base residential
zoning: 20 feet minimum unless on a major roadway
Side and rear setbacks established
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New Standards (contd.)
Emergency Shelters
Required to be by-right in at least one zoning district
Allowed in BQ and R-4 zoning districts
By-right approval for Priority Housing Sites that include 20
du/acre and 20% of total units for LI and VLI households:
Exempt from CEQA
Objective design review
Up to 50 units – Administrative Hearing
50+ units – Planning Commission Review
Modification of existing standards
Multiple Family (R-3) zoning districts
Structure of ordinance modified to distinguish
between fourplexes and five or more units
The regulations for developments with five or more
units modified to accommodate higher densities
Language re: maintenance of common areas etc.
Various Chapters in Title 19:
Conformance with State law re: types of housing
that must be allowed by-right
Definitions updated for consistency with State law
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Updated to reflect the Zoning District changes
to Priority Housing Sites
New colors and labels on Map to indicate new
zoning designations, R-4 and TH
Map clearly Identifies Priority Housing Sites
BMR Manual update to modify program
to match Housing Element (Strategy HE-2.3.3
Zoning Map/BMR Manual
PC Review and RecommendationPC Review and Recommendation
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Recommended approval of HOC Specific Plan
Amendments, BMR Mitigation Manual and Zoning
Map (4-0 Absent: Fung)
No Recommendation on Municipal Code
Amendments (2-2 Absent: Fung)
PC Review and Recommendation
Height – increase to 35 feet (no consensus)
Height established by General Plan
Located in or abut low density residential homes
Could be designed with lower plate heights or utilize
CA Density Bonus law
Lot Coverage and Floor Area Ratio – Eliminate lot
coverage and increase FAR (no consensus)
Reduced areas for landscaping, urban canopy
impacts
100% FAR would allow townhomes larger than in R1-5
zones. Changed to 85% FAR from 70% FAR.
PC Review – Topics discussed with motion
- TH Combining District
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Front Setback – use underlying zoning standard for
R1-a (consensus)
Change made to use underlying zoning standard for
front setback in all R1 zoning districts using Missing
Middle Policy
Rental – Eliminate word “rental” (consensus)
Change made
Parking requirements – reduce standard for duplexes built
in R1 zoning districts to 2 open and 2 enclosed (no
consensus)
No change made. Council could make change if
desired
PC Review – Topics discussed with motion
– Single Family (R1) zones: Duplex Development
No. of stories – Eliminate maximum number of
stories and retain 70-foot building height standard
One height standard could provide greater
developer flexibility
Proposed standard based on construction types,
building forms, activation of ground floor, visual
preference surveys and developer feedback
Consensus reached on 70-foot maximum, not 5
stories. If desired, council could eliminate dual 5-story
standard
PC Review – Topics not discussed with motions
– R-4 Zoning District
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Duplex – Eliminate/modify 200 sq. ft. standard
between units
Existing definition subjective under state law, not
enforceable. Objective standard necessary
Elimination could result in greater flexibility when
building
200 sq. ft. maximum separation allows one extra
bedroom and bathroom in one of the units
If Council desires, it could eliminate, modify or
change the proposed standard
PC Review – Topics not discussed with motions
– Definitions
FAR standard – Eliminate 55% FAR standard (minimal
discussion, no consensus)
Proposed standard based on survey of neighboring
jurisdictions – Mtn. View and Sunnyvale
Duplexes similar in size/scale to single family structures
Currently, no lot FAR limitation for R-2 development.
Existing coverage standard (40%) could allow 80% FAR
Missing Middle policy primary focus of public based on
comments received.
Issue: compatibility with Single-Family homes vs.
encouraging expanded use of policy
If Council desires, it could eliminate or modify the
proposed standard
PC Review – Topics not discussed with motions
– R-1 zoning district – Duplex Development
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Public CommentsPublic Comments
Public Comments - Received after PC meeting
Several comments received to:
Eliminate no. of stories in R-4
zones
Eliminate size standard from
definition of duplex
Expand/modify lot coverage
limits for R-3 zones
Eliminate minimum lot size
requirements for R-3 properties
Eliminate or modify following
standards for duplexes in R-1
zoning districts per the Missing
Middle strategy
Floor Area Ratio
Parking standards
Side yard setbacks
Several comments also received to keep the proposed ordinance
unchanged, including, specifically, the standards outlined above
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Lot Coverage and FAR Comparison across zonesLot Coverage and FAR Comparison across zones
Floor Area RatioLot CoverageScaleZoning ProposedExistingProposedExisting
No change45%No change45%+5% for eaves
/covered patios
Single family Res
(SFR)Single Family R-1
55%-40%-Larger SFRNEW!Duplex in R-
1 (Missing Middle)
No changeNo limitNo change40%Larger SFRDuplex R-2 (not part
of scope)
No changeNo limitNo change40%Larger SFR1-4 units
R-3 No changeNo limit55%40%Apt. scale5+ units
85%-55%-Six or eight-plexNEW! Townhome
TH
No limit-55%-High Density
scale
NEW!Multi-family
R-4
RecommendationRecommendation
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Recommendation
That the City Council adopt resolutions (with the
redlines proposed) to:
Municipal Code Amendments (Attachment A)
Specific Plan Amendments and BMR Mitigation
Manual updates (Attachment B)
Zoning Map Amendments (Attachment C)
Next StepsNext Steps
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Next Steps
Objective Design Standards – Fall 2024
Safety Element update – Winter 2024/25
Questions?Questions?
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